Be Social

“It’s
very nice that they realize the difference between me and…whoever else
is popular at that age,” he said. “I feel very strongly about what I
do. My music is based on my references and my discovery, on what I
really love and cherish. The average artist is making music that is a
tool for someone else to profit by.”

Bergen, Norway is unquestionably one of the most exciting musical
cities on earth right now. While the American press continue to use
gallons of ink waxing enthusiastic about various Swedish garage
rockers, Norway is quietly exporting one delightful, dazzling artist
after another, each distinct from the rest. First was Bergen’s Kings of
Convenience, followed by Royksopp, the electronic duo who have pretty
much conquered the world right now. It’s time to add another name to
the short list of Nordic musicians making waves outside their own
country. Meet Sondre Lerche, the 20-year-old singer-songwriter whose
debut, Faces Down, has been hailed as a remarkably rich, sophisticated
song cycle for one in such an early stage of his career. The praise is
justified; the album is a peerless example of assured musical (and
literate!) craftsmanship, with a blend of warmth and wisdom (and plain
old-fashioned tunefulness) impossible to imagine coming from any
American popster in Lerche’s age bracket. Reached by phone between tour
dates, Lerche, who speaks in perfect, fluid English, expressed his
gratitude for the acclaim his work has earned so far.

“It’s
very nice that they realize the difference between me and…whoever else
is popular at that age,” he said. “I feel very strongly about what I
do. My music is based on my references and my discovery, on what I
really love and cherish. The average artist is making music that is a
tool for someone else to profit by.”

Lerche actually began
work on Faces Down several years ago; he’s already close to finishing
his second effort. Where most American teen artists embarking on a
music career would likely have taken their musical cues from dance
music and hip-hop, the boyishly handsome Norwegian drew inspiration
from the multi-layered craftsmanship of veterans like Elvis Costello.

“I didn’t want to be just a troubadour who’s always whining about
things,” said Lerche. “At the time I was planning this recording, the
songs were very influenced by Elvis Costello—I was fascinated by all of
his different projects, from the Bacharach record to his early stuff to
the Brodsky Quartet. The focus for him is always on the delivery of his
songs—his telling of the story, and the performance. But the
arrangement surrounding it could be anything from his guitar to a whole
orchestra.”

Lerche has been opening for Elvis on some tour
dates in Canada, and the experience has been revelatory. The youngster
and the veteran have gotten along smashingly, and they share a love of
wordplay and melody that makes for an intriguing comparison, despite
their different nationalities.

“It’s been such a thrill
meeting him, watching him play songs from all corners of his varied
career,” said Lerche. “His career path is an ideal one to follow. He’s
as relevant today as he was 20 years ago. And he’s still eager to keep
doing it—people like that are nice models to guide you.”

Lerche’s own career path began with guitar lessons at the age of eight
at a Bergen children’s music school. The youngest of four siblings,
Lerche was inspired by the music of ’80s bands such as Norway’s own
a-ha, and wrote his first song, “Locust Girl,” at the tender age of 14.
His sister worked at a local club, and she helped Sondre get a few gigs
on the weekly acoustic nights there. Local producer H.P. Gundersen
frequented the club on these nights, and was impressed with the
youngster’s talents. Their connection, and vital support from
Oslo-based manager Tatiana Penzo, led to Lerche being signed to Virgin
Records in early 2000. An EP and an album soon followed, the latter
actually being completed well before it was released. It was recorded
at Bergen’s Duper Studios with Gundersen and another stellar producer
named Joergen Traeen. Sister Sonny and the peerless girl group Ephemera
also made some blissful recordings at Duper, and we were keen to ask
Lerche what accounts for the luminous sound on all these discs.

“There just seems to be a lot of fantastic songwriting and performances
coming out of that studio,” Lerche remarked. “And there’s a lot more
coming; I have good, good friends completing their first records there.
The Real Ones are a fantastic world pop band who are releasing their
record soon. And singer-songwriter Julian Berntcen, a very good friend
of mine, will have his out in September.”

Duper Studios is
just one of the focal points for the thriving Bergen music scene, which
Lerche acknowledged did indeed seem to be possessed of some magical,
inexplicable ingredient. “There is a very open and supportive
atmosphere, and a musical friendship that goes beyond the different
styles,” he explained. “People are very individual and pursue their own
interests. They lock up in their own studio and don’t come out until
they’ve done what they want to do. And it ends up being very special.”

When Lerche “locked himself up” for his debut, he wanted to take his
musical cues from “the more refined arrangements of the ’70s, people
like Bacharach, even some of the Broadway things like Cole Porter.” He
also mentioned groups such as Steely Dan and XTC as stylistic
touchstones. Clearly, this was no typical teen star in the making;
Lerche was cultivating a thoughtful, attentive approach to the craft of
songwriting from the start. And his endearing vocals, capable of
expressing wisdom, whimsy and melancholy in equal measures, are a big
part of his quietly assertive style.

“My music is very
lyrical,” he told me. “The music is surrounding the vocals, so we work
very thoroughly on that. I deliver the goods much more when I work with
my two producers [Gundersen and Traeen]. They have a way of getting it
out of me.” Lerche refers to his producers, as well as his musical
compatriots in Bergen, as “friendly people who know how to help you get
a step ahead…”

Lerche apparently made plenty of friends during
the making of Faces Down. One of them was High Llamas wunderkind
songwriter/arranger Sean O’Hagan, who seems to be turning up on every
other interesting album these days. “I had been a huge fan of the High
Llamas; they were one of the few contemporary artists that I just
loved,” he said. “It peaked for me with Hawaii, which I discovered a
year or so after it came out. A friend’s wife had worked with Sean…and
my producer knew of my fascination with the Llamas. I was desperate to
get some good string arrangements. The producer played the music for
Sean, and…he took to it. So I phoned him up and we made an agreement to
do a few songs in London.” Tunes that O’Hagan worked on include the
jaunty “Dead Passengers,” “You Know So Well,” and “No One’s Gonna
Come.” The collaboration was fruitful, as O’Hagan has again worked with
Lerche on his forthcoming sophomore release. “This time he worked on
five songs, and it’s even more fabulous.”

While finishing up
the new record, Lerche has been refining his craft and observing people
like Costello on tour, learning how the veterans do it. His experiences
on the road have been very positive, and he said the crowds have been
very receptive to his music, especially in larger cities where the
audience tends to be more concentrated. When asked about his own
prospects for career longevity, Lerche says it depends on his ability
to “stay sane and reasonable” in a crazy, unpredictable business. He
speaks highly of his label, Astralwerks, which he shares with fellow
Nords Royksopp. It can’t be a coincidence that these are two of the
most publicized artists from Norway at present.

When asked
to compare the massive amount of press given to Swedish bands versus
the more erratic attention accorded Norway’s artists, Lerche had this
to say. “I think Sweden has a more advanced music industry. The bands
there, they’ve been able to get their name out there. They’re one step
ahead. But the best music, or what is most appealing, is not always
what the media…or the audience sees. The best music isn’t always
noticed. The people who scream the loudest are not always the
brightest.”

It’s a fitting sentiment for a remarkable young
songwriter who has no need to shout—his music has the kind of sparkle
that is sure to illuminate the ears…and hearts of fans far and wide.